ALIVE FOREVERMORE!

Very early in the morning, Mary went to the tomb and guess what?  Jesus was not there!  He is alive!

On this blessed day at the ending of this season's Easter writings, I'd like to share the verse on a card I received yesterday.  It goes like this:

"I still believe in Amazing Grace, that there is Power in the Blood, that he walks with me and he talks with me.  That Because He Lives I can face tomorrow.  All because of The Old Rugged Cross."

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."  Colossians 3:16

And ALL God's people said, "AMEN!"

WILLING

I often wondered why today, the Friday before Easter, was called Good Friday.  Quite frankly, I read the story of the day of Jesus crucifixion and I find nothing good in it.   However, always at the ending of my read, I feel such amazement and gratitude that HE WOULD DIE FOR ME.

He was taken away after the betrayal to many courts and accused of many things but said little.  Pilate, the governor at that time, couldn't find anything to accuse him of.  Pilate was even warned by his wife to leave Jesus alone as it was revealed to her in a dream.  Still, pleasing the people was a necessity so the murderer, Barabbas, was released instead.  This society often still aims to "people please".

Jesus endured so many terrible things....beaten, mocked, whipped, scourged.  He was dressed in a purple robe and had placed on his head a crown of thorns.  Can you imagine the pain of that?  The physical pain?

Someone was found to carry his cross to Golgatha and there he was crucified.  He was given vinegar with gall to drink and was crucified between two thieves, one which believed on him and went with Jesus that day to paradise.  Such love and compassion hanging on that cross.

Jesus died there willingly.  When he died, several things happened that folks could see and many realized that "truly he was the Son of God".  I encourage you to read this in all the Gospels.  Read it good and pay attention.  There are so many prophecies that were fulfilled as well....way too many to mention.

After he died, he was taken by Joseph of Armithea to his tomb.  Jesus had not place to lay his head and had to borrow a tomb.  But remember, it was only for a short time....Sunday's coming!  A lot can happen in three days!

Consider..... 

AGONY

Agony's definition is "intense pain of mind or body, anguish, torture, extreme mental or physical suffering.

After supper was done, Jesus and some disciples walked to Gethsemene's Garden.  Jesus was going to pray.  Two or three disciples went in with him and waited while he went further in the garden.  There he prayed to his father about what was to come for him...."not my will, but thine".  He came to the disciples to find them asleep and then went again to pray to return only to find them asleep again.  Very human were these disciples.  

If you are familiar with the reading of the Gospels, you know what an agonizing prayer Jesus prayed.  I can't begin to imagine.  But, through it all, Jesus was WILLING to do HIS father's will.

I am uncertain as to how the Bible is written be it chronologically or not.  There is one Gospel book, the book of John (chapter 17) that documents a prayer of Jesus, implying it could have been in the garden but uncertain.  Either way, if you are not familiar with it or if you are, it deserves a read this week.  In this chapter, Jesus prays for himself, his disciples, and for you and me.  Reading this prayer makes me utterly humbled even more of what Jesus did for me.

After the prayers were done, Judas came with his "people" and betrayed the Lord with a kiss and Jesus was taken away to the courts.  

Oh, what Jesus did for you and me!  How I love HIM!

Consider....

PREPARATION

 In my scriptures today, I have read about the last supper that Jesus had with his disciples.  It was amazing to me that, just as Jesus told the disciples where to go to get the animal for his "walk" into Jerusalem, he did the same with his instructions to his disciples about the location of the last supper.  They were told to go see the man carrying a waterpot.  One of the gospels, Luke maybe, said they followed the man into his house and asked for the use of his upper room.  Isn't it amazing that in that whole large city of Jerusalem, these disciples found the exact man and the exact upper room that Jesus intended?  I was thinking that Jesus gave them specific instructions, they followed those instructions, and success was made.  Maybe that's a bit where I have a problem.  Do I receive the instructions and follow them just as Jesus intends?  Hmmm.....

The Bible says that Jesus gathered in that upper room with his twelve disciples.  The scriptures talk about their discussions a bit....you know the breaking of the bread representing Jesus' body and the drinking of the wine representing his blood.  He even in one gospel washed their feet.  Now I'm not going into the Baptist church's tradition of feet washing.  My church does that twice a year.  That's a blog post for another day, but I will tell you it's an humble time.  I guess I'm quite taken with the fact that Judas, the betrayer, was one of those 12 disciples gathered there in that room.  And I guess I'm even more taken that Jesus broke bread and drank with him at the same table.  More I'm even most taken that Jesus probably washed Judas' feet.  Have you even wondered how Judas felt?  I'm telling you, I have such a guilty conscience, I would have been eat up with guilt and spilled all.  But then I remember......all this is the fulfilling of the plan for Jesus to die for MY sins....and YOURS.

I think a lot, too, about Peter at this time.  Peter was the bold disciple.  I wonder how he felt when he was so bold in saying he would never deny Christ.  Never.  Ever.  And Jesus said that before the rooster crowed, Peter would deny him three times.   I think Peter really thought he would never deny Christ.  I think he fully intended to never deny Christ.  But you know what?  Peter was human just like you and me.  Think about that.

I always think, too, of what Jesus told Peter in one of the gospels and it really bears on my mind often.  I will paraphrase here....Jesus said to Peter, "Peter, Satan desires to have you and sift you as wheat but never fear, I have prayed for you."  That to me is a scary, big and comforting scripture all at the same time.

So at the end of the supper, they sang a hymn and went out.  Think about "The Plan."

Consider....

PARABLES AND BETRAYALS

As I was doing my reading about the events of Holy Week, I was reminded of all the parables and lessons Jesus taught during that time.  Parables I have heard all my life that somehow now take a bigger meaning and have a greater impact on my life as a senior adult.  It made me realize that while those parables are so meaningful and familiar, Jesus still continues to teach me every single day.  I hope I am an attentive learner.

I have read about Mary breaking the box of costly oil over him as he was with the group.  I have read where the disciples in that group criticized her for such a waste.  I have learned how that nothing done in the name of Jesus with a sincere heart is a waste.  I want a sincere heart. 

I read how he chased the moneychangers out of the Temple.  In today's society, we as a church must be careful of this in our own place of worship.  Enough said.

And I have read how Judas, one of his own disciples, sold him out.  Thirty pieces of silver which my reference said was 300 days' wages.  I wonder how much these folks worked for monetarily in those days.  These days we are full of inflation and the desire for more money.  I thought of Judas and in one of the gospels it said "Satan got into his heart".  Ah.  Mercy me.  I pray Satan doesn't get into my heart.  I hope I can keep the door locked tightly.  Yet at that, I know there are times I sold out the Lord by my silence, by my actions, and by my thoughts.  I hope to not do that again.  

Help us, Jesus, to trust you more.

Consider....

JOYS AND SORROWS OF PRAISE

Here we are again....the beginning of Holy Week.  I encourage you to read the scriptures daily as the week moves to the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  If you need a list of scriptures, you may look at this blog's prior post on Sunday, April 2, 2023 (Because of Him).

Today we traditionally celebrate Palm Sunday, the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem.  I find in the scriptures where he instructed his disciples how and where to get the things he needed for the entry.  They obeyed and I understand that he also told them what to tell the people.  So we all know as he rode into Jerusalem, the people put down their garments and palm fronds for his animal to walk on.  They were saying, "Hosanna!  Hosanna!"  It appeared to be a joyful time.

I was thinking, though, of Jesus and how he might have been not so joyful as he knew what was ahead.  

Even as I type this today, I, myself, am experiencing sorrow and fear over things I'm caring for in my own life.  I was thinking as I read this scripture that I need to concentrate on throwing down my garments of fear and pain and let Jesus take care of them.  As I do that, I need to PRAISE him for what he has already done for me--even on that first Palm Sunday--and praise him for what he is doing for me this day, and praise him for what he WILL do in the future.  

Consider.....

THRU A GLASS DARKLY

Hello all you blog readers!  Yes, it's been a long while since I have posted.  My life has been wearying to me and to all my family but hopefully, I am able now to process my thoughts again.  There's been sadness, more sadness, fear, more fear, and yes, miracles!  I will talk about all that in another post hopefully.  I do enjoy writing my thoughts and hope to find those thoughts again.  

Today, though, I want to talk about what light does.  I guess I had gotten so used to the bit of dull vision in my bathroom that I didn't even consider "fixing" it.  All of you who know me know that I live in a moderately medium sized house from the 1979 era.  I have two small bathrooms that one has trouble turning around a walker in.  (I know this since my hip replacement surgery when I had to function with a walker.  It was a challenge.). My house, too, is fairly country clutter decor EXCEPT for when we redid the hall bath.  I put some really pretty lights and globes there.  I didn't consider they would be hard to clean.  We kept the 1979ish wallpaper of brown flowers.  The Grandbaby loves it!  

So this morning it just seemed very darkish in that bathroom so I realized I had not cleaned those elegant globes since last year.  They are not clear, but tinted light brown/gold.  Beautiful....but caked with dust.  So I thought, "Why not?"  And, as I usually do halfway in the project I wished I had waited.  Those three little screws and my arthritic hands don't work well together.  Finally, I had the project done.  I turned on the lights and .....  WOW!  The light was bright and clear and just a wonderful sight to see!  Take a look....admire the brown flowered wallpaper as well.

Look at that!  

So, of course, there's a lesson in that for me to share.  Maybe more than just one, in fact, but it's one for today.  When life comes at you and things have grown dark, your faith has trouble shining through because of the "gunk" on the heart, and you find life hard to see clearly--life and Jesus, too--, then one needs to take the time to clear off the "gunk" hiding the light from the world and rejoice when that light shines brightly again.  It may be hard and time-consuming, but it's worth it.  Keeping our light shining brightly is not only good for the world to see, it's good for the depth of our very soul.  Trust me, after the past three months of my life, I have learned this truth and the Lord has reminded me of it this day.

So go clean a light globe or clear off the doubt in your heart so the faith can shine through and rejoice!  And you know?  If one would clean them more often, it wouldn't be so hard.  Just sayin'.....

Consider....